Douglas A-1 Skyraider Ideas and Inspiration

[KiwiZac]

I don't think I've ever seen a tandem one, the closest would be the (I think) Royal Navy ones with a big canopy that wasn't the same as the AD-5/A-1E.

I like the RAF idea. I just don't want to do silver...

If someone could recover the executive version I was so in love with (no extension downloading at work) I'd be very grateful. Never mind, I see it.

[The Big Gimper]

From the book of: "1,000s of great ideas which most likely never reach the build stage" is a 1/72 Monogram A-1E to be rebuilt as the "A-1K Scythe".

The Scythe is an A-1 Gunship. A filler between the AH-1 Cobras and AC-47/AC-119 Spooky/Spectre. Also inspiration from the Super Avenger profiles (IE the turret)

Standard loadout:
2x Suu-16/A 20mm gun pods from the F-4D.
4x Suu-11/A 7.62 guns pods from the AH-1G
4x LAU-10 with 5" Zuni Rockets (yes, I know this was a Navy only weapon but I think it is cool).
4x 20mm wings cannons
1 or 2 B-29 .50 Cal turret mounted on the top/bottom in the rear cockpits area for self defence. Operated by the GIBs (guys-in-the-back)
Drop tanks
Painted in SEA Technical Order 1-1-4

[tankmodeler]

From the book of: "1,000s of great ideas which most likely never reach the build stage" is a 1/72 Monogram A-1E to be rebuilt as the "A-1K Scythe".

The Scythe is an A-1 Gunship. A filler between the AH-1 Cobras and AC-47/AC-119 Spooky/Spectre. Also inspiration from the Super Avenger profiles (IE the turret)

Standard loadout:
2x Suu-16/A 20mm gun pods from the F-4D.
4x Suu-11/A 7.62 guns pods from the AH-1G
4x LAU-10 with 5" Zuni Rockets (yes, I know this was a Navy only weapon but I think it is cool).
4x 20mm wings cannons
1 or 2 B-29 .50 Cal turret mounted on the top/bottom in the rear cockpits area for self defence. Operated by the GIBs (guys-in-the-back)
Drop tanks
Painted in SEA Technical Order 1-1-4

With the all the gun pods, you could probably do away with the wing canons. 


All those slung weapons pretty much max out the old Spad, leaving no payload capability for a drop tank, so range would be pretty short.

To stay within the 8000 lb payload capability, how about:

2 x 100 gal tank under inner wings
SUU-16 on the centerline station
then the various Zuni and Minigun pods

The rear turrets are out, I'm afraid. Just too heavy. 

The Beech Grizzly had the B-29 turret arrangement you suggest, but flew on two of the Skyraider's R-3350 engines.

Just reality poking in it's awkward head. Feel free to ignore at any point. 

Paul

[Kelmola]

SUU-16 on the centerline station

Good luck synchronizing the Vulcan...

[The Big Gimper]

From the book of: "1,000s of great ideas which most likely never reach the build stage" is a 1/72 Monogram A-1E to be rebuilt as the "A-1K Scythe".

The Scythe is an A-1 Gunship. A filler between the AH-1 Cobras and AC-47/AC-119 Spooky/Spectre. Also inspiration from the Super Avenger profiles (IE the turret)

Standard loadout:
2x Suu-16/A 20mm gun pods from the F-4D.
4x Suu-11/A 7.62 guns pods from the AH-1G
4x LAU-10 with 5" Zuni Rockets (yes, I know this was a Navy only weapon but I think it is cool).
4x 20mm wings cannons
1 or 2 B-29 .50 Cal turret mounted on the top/bottom in the rear cockpits area for self defence. Operated by the GIBs (guys-in-the-back)
Drop tanks
Painted in SEA Technical Order 1-1-4

With the all the gun pods, you could probably do away with the wing canons. 


All those slung weapons pretty much max out the old Spad, leaving no payload capability for a drop tank, so range would be pretty short.

To stay within the 8000 lb payload capability, how about:

2 x 100 gal tank under inner wings
SUU-16 on the centerline station
then the various Zuni and Minigun pods

The rear turrets are out, I'm afraid. Just too heavy. 

The Beech Grizzly had the B-29 turret arrangement you suggest, but flew on two of the Skyraider's R-3350 engines.

Just reality poking in it's awkward head. Feel free to ignore at any point. 

Paul

Oh mom!!  I want my A-1 to carry an external load which is more than 8,000 Lbs. 

Let me re-balance reality vs psuedo-reality.

[jcf]

SUU-16 on the centerline station

Good luck synchronizing the Vulcan...

 

[Jeffry Fontaine]

KA-1 Skyraider tanker with dedicated HDU mounted in place of the lower dive brake and three fuel tanks. 
Something like the feature found on the KA-6D Intruder. 

[elmayerle]

How about a CA-1 COD aircraft based on the basic airframe from the AEW version?

[jcf]

Centaurus, Sea Fury-esque cowling.

[GTX_Admin]

How about a CA-1 COD aircraft based on the basic airframe from the AEW version?

The utility AD-5 was delivered with various kits that provided for four passengers in the cabin, four stretchers and thus could be considered a COD variant:




See here

[tankmodeler]

SUU-16 on the centerline station

Good luck synchronizing the Vulcan...

For ground attack you could angle the pod so it shoots below the prop, but, yeah, it's a fair cop.

200 gal tank on one side and SUU-16 on the other inner pylon. A bit asymmetric when firing, mind.

Maybe an extendable pod on the CL? Swings down below the prop to fire and swings back up for landing and take off? Complicated, but certainly doable.

Still a bit of a kluge, of course.

Paul

[Kelmola]

Even with an extendable pod, you would probably want to use the SUU-23 with its electric motor instead, considering the SUU-16 required 300 mph of airspeed to provide enough power for its ram-air turbine for firing at full RPM (and was optimized for 400+ mph)...

[elmayerle]

2x SUU-23 on inboard pylons, drop tank on centerline; other ordnance as desired on other hardpoints.

[The Big Gimper]

Even with an extendable pod, you would probably want to use the SUU-23 with its electric motor instead, considering the SUU-16 required 300 mph of airspeed to provide enough power for its ram-air turbine for firing at full RPM (and was optimized for 400+ mph)...

Busted!!! I was hoping no one would know about the minimum airspeed requirement.
SUU-23 it is.

[The Big Gimper]

How a Griffon powered Spad?

A gratuitous grafting of Griffons on gaggle of gung-ho Ganders. (new aircraft name)


RCAF-A-1G-02 by Big Gimper, on Flickr


RCAF-A-1G-07 by Big Gimper, on Flickr

I've done the dry fits on both the 1/72 Airfix A-1J and Monogram A-1E and it will work will minimum amount of effort. 


Skyraider-AS.2-02 by Big Gimper, on Flickr

Skyraider-AS.1-02 by Big Gimper, on Flickr

[tankmodeler]

How a Griffon powered Spad?

Really going to hurt load carrying and top speed as the Griffon, at best, has 500 HP less than the R-3350.

Paul

[The Big Gimper]

How a Griffon powered Spad?

Really going to hurt load carrying and top speed as the Griffon, at best, has 500 HP less than the R-3350.

Paul

Agreed. But being from a country with a "surplus" of trees I am sure we can come up with some lighter papyrus bomb designs!

[Jeffry Fontaine]

No loss of power thanks to the secret Canadian water-methanol-maple syrup injection systems that boosted performance.  :)

[elmayerle]

I'm thinking of modeling an A2D-2 with an Allison T54 (uses two T56 gas generators driving a common gearbox) and simplifying the canopy with a AD-1 bubble canopy.  Any problems that I missed?

[The Big Gimper]

No loss of power thanks to the secret Canadian water-methanol-maple syrup injection systems that boosted performance.  :)

Thanks Jeff for blabbing to everyone about the "secret sauce".  Because of that I've had to reduced your security clearance from "Syrupy Secret" to "Sitka Spruce Secret"   

[Jeffry Fontaine]

Don' t mind the downgrade as long as I am still cleared for *VICRUMINT with special access to Gossip. 









*VICious RUMour INTelligence

[GTX_Admin]

Might be a bit underpowered

[Twiddle]

Main landing gear that retracts into fuselage ?

Frees up space for more wing pylons for ordnance 

[Twiddle]

VTOL jet powered Skyraider

[GTX_Admin]

Whilst discussing Aeroplanedriver's superb F4F as a Naval Ordnance Test Station Sidewinder testbed and referencing the fact that this was actually inspired by the real world AD-4 involved in the early AIM-9 development, I was left wondering if the Skyraider ever flew operationally with a AIM-9.  Any ideas?